Summary
of council meeting on 21 February 2002

This is the report of the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) plenary
meeting on 21 February 2002, chaired by Dr Judy MacArthur Clark. The Council
meets three times a year. Working Groups that convene more frequently
undertake most of the preparatory work.

FAWC's Report "Foot and Mouth Disease 2001 and Animal Welfare: Lessons
for the Future" was passed to Ministers, the Foot and Mouth Disease
Inquiries and was published in January 2002. The reaction from the farming
and veterinary media as well as from organisations and individuals has
been extremely positive.

Chairwoman's Report

The Chairwoman reported on her participation in the Veterinary Laboratories
Agency's Science Audit and in the EU Foot and Mouth Disease Conference
in Brussels. She had given evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee
on Animals in Scientific Procedures and the Follett Committee of Inquiry
into Infectious Diseases of Livestock at the Royal Society. A regular
meeting of the Chairs of the various FAWC Working Groups had been established
to take a strategic view of how FAWC was progressing its work.

Reports from the Working Groups

As is customary the meeting heard progress reports from the Chairmen
of the various Working Groups.

Farm Assurance Schemes - The Group was now researching its second report
on the animal welfare implications of farm assurance schemes. This would
include more attention to the catering sector and a section on the welfare
implications of organic livestock production.

Strategy and Communications - The Group had further developed the five
year work plan for the Council into a comprehensive and evolving document
to guide FAWC's work. FAWC's wider communication role was under review
with the help of a PR consultant.

Research and Development -The Working Group was developing proposals
on the monitoring and control of technologies from research or via importation
to commercial farming. The R&D Group were also working on a survey
of perceptions of animal welfare priorities for farmed livestock species.

Markets and Transport - The Group had developed a paper expressing concerns
about the dangers of horned cattle being presented for sale in market
which was referred to Defra for a response. Visits recommenced with a
trip to a horse sale and further visits were planned.

Poultry Issues - Broiler leg health remained the main issue for this
Group. There was progress to report on an analysis of industry survey
data and Defra sponsored research. The Group looked to its future workload,
which would include the welfare implications of the skeletal health of
laying hens during lay and as spent hens and the potential impact of the
Food Standards Agency strategy on the reduction of salmonella and campylobacter
in poultry meat on extensive poultry production.

Slaughter - Following the end of the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak,
visits had been re-arranged to see the various types of slaughter yet
to be witnessed by the group. Verbal evidence was also taken from interested
parties. Drafting of the Group's report continued to progress well.